Nasal inhaler



F. LOBL NASAL INHALER rMarch i3, '1934.

Filed OCT.. 5, 1932 sit/tamu@ Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to inhalers, by means of which medicinal or other vapors given oif by a medicament contained within the inhaler may be conveniently drawn into the nostrils by breathv ing.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel inhaler, the openings of which are sealed at the time of manufacture, thereby prohibiting any loss of medicament strength by evaporation before the article is used by the consumer. It is a further object of this invention to provide an inhaler of sanitary and durable construction that is highly attractive in appearance and comfortable and efcient in use. It is a still further object of this invention to provide an inhaler that may be easily and economically manufactured and distributed.

In the prior art, inhalers provided with medicament receptacles have had a common fault, i. e.,

the medicament evapo-rates and wastes away during the time interval between manufacture and use, as a result of currents of air through apertures in the medicament receptacle. My improved inhaler overcomes this fault, as will be '25 evident from the following detailed description and drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inhaler;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section of a preferred form of construction on the line II-II of Fig. 4 with the closure in the assembled position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a base closure member for the construction shown in Fig. 2

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the construction shown in Fig. 2 with the closure removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section of another form of construction;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the sealed opening in the upper extremity of a nostril-engaging portion of the inhaler shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a cross Lsection of the opening of Fig. 6, after perforation by the user.

The preferred form of my inhaler comprises a one-piece receptacle 1 molded or formed in any other convenient manner of suitable thermoplastic material. This receptacle, shown in Fig. 2, comprises the twin nozzle-like protuberances 2, adapted to simultaneously enter and completely or partially close the users nostrils, an open space 3 therebetween which accommodates the dividing nasal partition member of the nose, a chamber 4 which contains a medicament, and

(Cl. 12S- 198) weakened sections 5 in the outer end of each nozzle-like protuberance 2, which when perforated by the user permit medicinal vapors to be breathed into the nostrils. The receptacle 1 may be provided with the ribs 6 on the inner surface of chamber 4, against which a base cover '7 abuts when inserted into the base opening 8 of the receptacle. The base closure member 7 of sheet metal or suitable thermo-plastic material is provided with an opening 9 which is initially closed by a piece of paper, or like material 10 which may be secured to the member 7 by adhesive material. The openings in each of the nozzlelike protuberances 2 are sealed until such time v as the appliance is to be used by a thin web 11 preferably integral with said protuberances (see Fig. 6). This web or film 11 seals the opening and causes it to be airtight. Thus, the openings of the medicament receptacle 1 are effectively sealed at the time of manufacture, the upper ends having integral webs over the openings and the base cover opening having a gummed paper seal.

In another form of4 my invention (see Fig. 5), the medicament receptacle 12 and the base 13 are of the same material, molded as one piece or fused together with the medicament within the receptacle. In this modication, the integral base 13 has an opening 14 sealed by the web or film 15 in the same manner as the pretuberance openings 5.

The medicament contained in my novel inhaler may be menthol or any other material that gives oif vapors, which are to be drawn into ones nostrils by breathing. The medicament may be in cake form 16, as shown in Fig. 2, and in such case, the cake may be supported by the ribs 6, thus permitting a flow of air around the cake and between the cake and the walls of the receptacle 1. In Fig. 5, the medicament is shown in crystalline form 17, said crystals being positioned between pieces of gauze 18, cotton, or the like, which prevent the crystals from passing through the openings, when said openings are perforated, and which also provide a ltering action on the air drawn through the device. The medicament might also be provided in the form of a pad of gauze or the like, saturated or indurated with a medicinal solution.

The inhaler is preferably formed of thermoplastic material, such as Celluloid, hard rubber, phenolic condensation product, or the like, in accordance with one feature of my invention.j The material may be of bright colors, thereby greatly increasing the attractiveness of the devlce.

In the preferred form, the receptacle 1 is molded of one of the above materials, and the base closure 7 is of stamped metal. However, this invention also contemplates the use of other materials, as stated above, the scope of the invention being dened in the claim appended.

When the consumer is ready to use my inhaler, all he is required to do is to break or perforate the seal on each of the openings and apply the device to the nostrils. The Web or lm seals being of substantially reduced thickness, are easily punctured by means of a pin, pencil, or other pointed instrument, see Fig. '1. If desired, only one of openings 5 may be perforated, thereby permitting application of the medicinal vapors to one nostril when only one nostril is irritated, etc.

The medicament within the inhaler, being sealed against air currents until the time of actual use, remains at its full strength throughout the period it is stored on the dealers shelves. The consumer is assured of obtaining a full strength medicinal device, and the dealer is assured that his stock is not deteriorating, due to evaporation of the medicament.

What I claim is:

An inhaler containing a volatile medicament sealed therein to maintain its original medicinal eiectiveness over long periods of time, the said inhaler comprising a receptacle having rigid impervious Walls of thermo-plastic material and provided with an integral imperforate nostril engaging protuberance of the same material having an indentation at the tip end thereof to constitute a thin weakened area adapted to be readily perforated by the user, and a second puncturable area provided in or adjacent the base of the container to permit ingress of air into contact with the medicament when the inhaler is used for its intended purpose.

FREDERICK LOBL. 

